The month of July was a real treat for lovers of superhero films - and I’m not ashamed to say I fall into that category.

Us ‘nerds’ were given the pleasure of watching two huge blockbusters two weeks apart - DC’s ‘Superman’, released on July 11, and Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ released on July 25.

As more of a Marvel man, I went into this two-film clash with the expectation of enjoying Fantastic Four more than Superman - but it turned out to be the other way around.

Walking out of the Palace Cinema after watching Superman, my overriding emotion was joy.

There was the perfect blend of action, heart, comedy and a strong enough plot line to make for a really entertaining two hours that - pardon the pun - totally flew by.

Having seen the trailers and promotion for the movie, I was worried that there would be too many characters to handle in the runtime - but it was done absolutely perfectly. I feel like every character was given the time their arcs throughout the film deserved.

The action scenes are immense, and there is a certain sequence that made me grin from ear to ear. It featured the song ‘5 Years Time’ by Noah and the Whale, and I’ve not stopped listening to it since.

David Corenswet is a great Superman, and he had that perfect mix of comedy, fury and tender emotion. That could be down to the writing, but it certainly felt like Corenswet has made the role his own.

Superman was always going to be more colourful and ‘comic-book-y’ with well-renowned director James Gunn at the helm, and this made for a really fun blockbuster.

So, a tough act for Marvel to follow...

While my emotion walking out of Superman was joy, I couldn’t escape the feeling of being underwhelmed while heading home from Fantastic Four.

The film adaptations of Marvel’s ‘first family’ have regularly been quite poor, so this was a breath of fresh air in that department. It’s easily the best Fantastic Four film, and it’s nice to see these characters get the film they richly deserve.

The ‘futuristic 1960s’ aesthetic was impressive, and the 15-minute opening explaining these characters’ backstories and origins was really well done.

I’m unsure on the casting choices. I don’t know if I just have Pedro Pascal fatigue at this point, but I’m not sure he was the best choice for Reed Richards. I also didn’t think much of the chemistry between him and Vanessa Kirby (portraying Sue Storm).

In my view, Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer is the best and most intriguing character out of them all. Her line delivery is exemplary, and the slow unravelling of her backstory, as well as her relationship with Johnny Storm, was a more enjoyable side of a plot which sometimes felt like it dragged.

I still enjoyed First Steps, but it did feel like there was something missing - it didn’t quite hit the right notes.

Superman is showing for the final time at Broadway Cinema tonight (Thursday, August 7), while Fantastic Four: First Steps is still showing at the Palace Cinema.